


when we collide

by lallemvnt



Category: SKAM (France)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, And then Extra Angst, Angst, Eliott Demaury is Definitely not Gay, Enemies to Lovers, Everyone Is Gay, First Love, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Sexual Tension, bad boy, fuckboy!eliott nerd!lucas, nerd, no not like after, yes like the song
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:22:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22756228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lallemvnt/pseuds/lallemvnt
Summary: to lucas, life is about status.where and what he can do with the time he has on earth is of the utmost importance to him.it's not that he doesn't want to be in love. he just doesn't have the time for it.and there's also that issue of the dark and spacious closet he has locked himself into.to eliott, life is about the adventure.who he can do with the time he has on earth is of utmost importance to him.he is used to girls declaring their love for him and guys wanting to be him.and there's also that issue of the overwhelming walls he has built up around himself.when their worlds collide, neither boy is expecting the aftermath.
Relationships: Eliott Demaury/Lucas Lallemant
Comments: 32
Kudos: 132





	1. prologue: in the beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first proper fic on here so i hope you enjoy!
> 
> i will try to update as regularly as i can :)

it is theorised that billions of years ago, before the birds ruled the sky and the fish roamed the sea, there was nothing.

there was no universe, no air, no space.

just a void. 

a space of nothingness in which nothing and no one existed. 

and in an instant, there was a bang.

something to work with, something which could become something more.

and now, billions and billions of years later; earth, life, an existence.

something beautiful out of nothing.


	2. biology and the closet.

the human heart depends on a double pump system.

the blood passes through the heart twice in a single circuit; once when it is oxygenated to travel to the rest to the rest of the body and again, when deoxygenated, to travel to the lungs to pick up oxygen.

different types of blood vessels are in place to make sure the blood flows in the right direction.

arteries take blood away from the heart and veins carry it in.

at times, lucas feels like a vein doing the job of an artery.

he’s doing what needs to be done. 

it just isn’t working as it is supposed to be.

\---

lucas has learnt to repress his feelings in most situations. 

it stems from the fragmented relationship he had with his father growing up and even now that his mother is remarried and his step-father loves him like his own, lucas has never quite managed to be the type of person to tell people how he’s feeling when he’s feeling it. 

the problem with that is that lucas feels too much. he would tell you that most things don’t affect him but deep down, he’s feeling more than most people. 

from the first friend that left him to the firs crush he had as a confused twelve-year-old, lucas feels and dwells. it takes time for him to move on but when he does, he blocks things out. 

it is how he dealt with the fact that he was gay. 

when he was younger, being gay was weird, it was different and to him, it wasn’t the norm. he had only ever heard about gay people when his dad would come home from work and complain about yet another “obviously gay” man he had seen on the train and how the world was becoming full of them.

lucas had grown up wondering what would happen if his dad ever found out he had a gay son, living under his roof, but he also didn’t want to find out. and so he dwelt in the closet he had forced himself into, clouded by his thought and feelings. 

growing up as a teen in an ever-evolving and accepting society confused him even more. he would see strangers at school, celebrities and people close to him come out and say they were proud of who they were. 

he didn’t want to live in the dark and empty space anymore but lucas couldn’t imagine being out like that and so he distracted himself with books and studying and created this persona for himself.

one that he knew wasn’t him but that didn’t stop him setting goals to go to cambridge next year to study law, just like his father. he was going to make him as proud as he could so at least that way, when he came to the place where he was ready to tell his father about who he really was, his father would have a reason to not hate him. 

the fear of pain has stopped him from pursing anyone he likes. 

he desperately wants to be out, like arthur and like bas and like emma.

but hiding and closing himself in the tight closet had become some form of a safety blanket for him.

he could pretend to fall for girls and it would be fine. 

at least, if he never opened his heart for a boy, it could never be broken.


	3. chemistry and feelings.

water.

vital to life, necessary for survival.

it is the only substance on earth which exists naturally in solid, liquid and gas form.

a water molecule is made up of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms and because neither of these atoms share electrons equally, water is described to be a polar molecule.

water’s polarity means it works well as a solvent; more substances can be dissolved in water than in any other liquid on earth.

eliott sometimes feels like a large glass of water, dissolving any sentiments he may have for anyone who falls for him.

\---

it’s funny because eliott doesn’t know why he is the way he is.

he can’t exactly pinpoint the point in time where he decided that relationships and love wasn’t for him.

was it seeing his parent’s relationship break down?

or getting his heart broken by his ex-girlfriend?

or maybe the overwhelming fear that came with belonging to someone?

he doesn’t know and he doesn’t want to try it which is why he settles for meaningless flings with girl after girl, hoping that one day, something will click. and if it never does then at least he had fun. 

it helps that he’s deemed to be attractive. his notoriety at school means he is known by pretty much anyone you could ask.

they could all tell the tales of mr eliott demaury and just as expected he’s praised for it, seen to be some type of god for being able to do what he does and move on so easily.

everyone adores him.

everyone.

well, everyone except the new kid.


	4. abpsych and tours.

phobias are an irrational or extreme fear of something or a certain situation. 

in psychology, it falls under abpsych, or abnormal psychology because of how irrational they often are.

phobias are classified as a type of anxiety disorder as anxiety is the primary symptom experienced by the sufferer.

it is thought that phobias are mostly learnt through negative emotional experiences; babies aren’t born with an innate fear of flying, spiders or heights, we learn to fear them through the situations we have found ourselves in. 

lucas’ fear is coming out.

but it’s also not being able to come out on his own terms.

\----

more than anything, lucas hates attention being on him. 

he loves being unknown in school because it means not having to be anyone or anything. he can just exist, go to classes, get his grades and move on to the next place.

that right isnt going to be afforded to him anymore. he knows that as the new kid, starting school as the beginning of the final year, he will have some form of status and right now he would rather be pretty much anywhere else. 

he’s happy that his mum managed to get her dream job in london. he just hated the fact that it meant relocating to the other end of the country. lucas isn’t used to living in the capital city yet; he much preferred his life in his little town a few miles out of leeds. 

but now he’s here, living in a place he had always heard about growing up, with a different accent to everyone else and more than anything, he wants the ground to swallow him up. it doesn’t and he sits, in the reception of his new high school, waiting for the head girl who is apparently supposed to be giving him a tour. 

he can tell it’s her when she arrives.

she walks, clothed in confidence and lucas wishes he had that amount of self-esteem.

her chocolate brown hair falls past her shoulders in loose waves and her white porcelain skin shines under the light of the school hallway. she adheres strict business wear uniform the school demands in the rule book lucas read sometime last week even though he is sure 90% of students he has seen so far go against it. 

he can tell that if he was attracted to girls, he would probably have a thing for her and she smiles sweetly when she realises that it is he that she is here for.

he returns the smile despite the sick feeling that currently fills him, deciding that getting off on the wrong foot with the head girl isn’t something he wants to do. 

“you must be lucas?” she asks stopping when she reaches his chair. 

“it is i.” lucas cringes internally at what he says but decides to stick with it rather than attempting to take it back. 

“ah chloé, you’re here.” the school receptionist says it as if she is genuinely happy to see her. “this is lucas, he’s starting with us today and it would be great if you could take him under your wing and show him around.”

“sure jan, what year are you in?” she asks addressing lucas again.

“13.”

“ah same as me! come on, i can show you all the sixth form areas.”

\----

after twenty minutes of walking around the school, lucas is pretty certain that he likes chloé. he was worried that getting a tour from the head girl would be the most mindnumbing event he could think of but she has made what should have been pretty boring very entertaining. 

instead of just telling him where all the different important places in the school are, she has showed him the hideouts and shortcuts but also the places and teachers to avoid. 

“i probably should have asked you what classes you have to make this tour more helpful, shouldn’t i? i’m sorry.” she says turning to him as they make their way down some stairs.

“no, no, it’s fine. if you didn’t show me how all the blocks are connected, i would have been late to every single lesson.”

“haha alright, that makes me feel a little better. who do you have?”

“erm.” lucas rifles through his bag to find the schedule her threw in there about half an hour ago when he received it from jan and finds it crumpled but still readable. “macleod for english, boulden for biology, lenihan for chemistry and saunders for art.”

“medicine?” chloé asks turning her head to face lucas.

“hopefully. how did you know?”

“i am a fellow sufferer. nobody studies bio and chem just for fun.” she says laughing and lucas joins in, knowing how much his brain hurts thinking about the two subjects together. “i have boulden and lenihan at the same time as you but i have someone else for english and i study maths instead of art.”

“maths too? wow, you much really hate yourself.”

“oh i do, i don’t know why i do it.”

“why not drop it? you can still get into uni without it.”

“way ahead of you. i have until friday to drop it and i’m probably going to drop off the form when we get back to the reception.” 

“as you should.”

“okay, advice. lenihan does seating plans but i have a seat next to me so you’re fine to take it. he does most of his teaching from the textbook and most of his tests come from the same place. i have a copy at home but you can get away with “accidentally” taking one home and not brining it back till the end of year.”

“got ya.”

“boulden doesn’t really care about seating but everyone pretty much sits with friends so you’re welcome to join my group’s table.”

“thank you.”

“but because she lets us sit with friends when she does projects, she picks partners for us.”

“crap.”

“indeed. but pretty much everyone in our class is close apart from like the popular kids so chances are you’ll be okay.”

“brill. do i have to be worried about the popular kids?”

“not really. they’re arseholes but they pretty much dwell in their own bubble. your typical fanfic popular squad who pass each other around in bed and just about pass school.”

“as long as they leave me alone, i’m good.”

“you’ll be fine. you can join my group at lunch if you want. they will probably give you more tips about how to survive in this hell hole.”

“that would honestly be amazing.”

“cool. let’s head back to reception, there’s a form i need to hand in.”

lucas laughs and follows chloé back down the hallway.


	5. sports and lunchtimes.

the concept of most sports games is easy.

you have an opponent. 

you stop them from scoring.

but at the same time, you wanna score a goal.

that’s it. 

well, apart from the overwhelming time pressure as the timer counts down. 

there are some extra rules thrown in there: the offside rule in football, not being able to move with the ball in netball and only being abe to thrown the ball backwards in rugby to name a few. 

at times, lucas feels as though he’s in the middle of a game of rugby, but everyone else around him is playing basketball.

\----

the time for lunch comes around and lucas is dreading it.

the loud noises, the horrible food and not knowing where to sit. it is his first proper day of school and he has already had a couple of lessons with chloé and one without her. he would be lying if he said that he wasnt looking forward to seeing her again not at lunch because he feels as though school is a little bit safer when he has someone like her by his side.

he makes it to the canteen without getting lost in the maze that is his high school and counts it a little victory; all he has to do is remember the route he took for last time. 

the joins the queue for the food and when he has gotten his tray full of questionable food items (if it can even be called that) he turns around to face the busy school hall and wants to die inside.

he counts it as a blessing that different age groups have lunch at different times but that doesnt stop the overwhelmed feeling of disorientation which fills him as he looks for somewhere to sit. he curses himself for not asking chloé for her number but is relieved when he sees her followed by a group of people walk into the main canteen.

“you alright luc? is it okay if i call you that?” she beams when she spots him.

“you can and i have been better.”

“what are you doing looking around here? we eat lunch in the sixth form area.” 

“we do?”

“yup. this area is for the lower school.”

lucas breathes a sigh of relief.

““im arthur. by the way.” one of the guys from chloé’s group steps into the conversation and points a lucas’ tray of questionable “food” items. “just some advice, only ever eat from the canteen if you want to die the next day.”

lucas looks at the meal in disgust but smiles. “noted.”

a girl reaches across and grabs the biscuit from lucas tray and they all look at her in disgust, including lucas.

“how are you eating that? it looks like a rock.” lucas asks looking at her.

she doesn’t answer but turns to look at arthur who repeats her sentence but this time in sign language. 

she laughs and signs something back and arthur laughs too.

“she said she has a test tomorrow and getting sick is her last resort.” 

lucas laughs as does the rest of the group.

“hi, my name is lucas.” lucas signs. “you can have the juice too if you want.” 

“no thank you, i want to get ill, i don’t want to die. i’m noeé. you can sign?”

“not perfectly. my cousin has residual hearing in her left ear but is deaf in her right.”

“same but swapped.” arthur says smiling. 

“are you joining us for lunch?” chloé says smiling.

“yes please.” 

“follow us.”

\---

lucas is sure that he hasnt laughed this much in the space of ten minutes in a while but he is so happy that it was chloé who gave him a tour.

they sit on a table in the corner of the sixth form centre, chloé, arthur and noeé but also people who have since introduced themselves at emma, yann, basile and alexia. 

lucas had settle with getting lunch from the vending machine available in the sixth form centre but also noted down that a packed lunch was the best option from now on.

there’s a sudden hush as the door to the sixth form centre opens and lucas is confused but look at the door anyway.

a tall guy with brunette walks in dress now where near according to the dress code but if it means lucas gets to see him like this it doesn’t matter at all. 

he wears what are clearly black skinny jeans with the ends rolled up to expose his ankles and cream coloured jumper with and his tie poking out of the top. the look is completed with a light brown jacket white trainers.

he oozes dickhead but lucas is intrigued and yet over it.

the guy looks to the left and catches eye contact with lucas who, without thinking rolls his eyes, shakes his head and turns his attention back to his food. 

he has experienced his fair share of bad boy from his old school and this guy fits the archetype to a t. 

he is followed by two other attractive boys but he can tell that whoever the guy at the front is, he has a reputation.

“and he is?” lucas asks the rest of the table, nodding his head over the table that the guy has decided to sit at. 

“eliott demaury.”


	6. maths and dickheads

it is safe to say that maths is probably the most hated school subject. 

it’s tricky, time consuming and to most people, it is pretty pointless in terms of everyday life.

but in actual fact, it’s misunderstood. 

maths works pretty simply once you get your head around it.

there are simple formulas which, once you apply them to the facts of the question or substitute numbers in, you can solve pretty much any problem question you receive.

eliott feels like some of the hardest maths problems.

hard to solve, misunderstood but once you break down his walls, he’ll let you in forever. 

\----

eliott is used to the stares and adulation he gets when he walks into the sixth form centre at lunch. it’s pretty much a routine at this point. 

his arrival is anticipated but pretty much everyone and it’s not because they expect him to suddenly do something different.

just his presence is enough. 

and so he walks in, sofiane and charles behind him, alex and manon already sat at their usual table in the corner and the usual hush sounds around him. 

he almost wants to laugh at how predictable everyone in the room is but off course that would harm the bad boy image he has built up and so he settles for a sweeping look around the room and sure enough all eye are on him.

some girls give him sweet alluring smiles whilst others just look in shook. 

most guys look over at him with an expression full of envy.

all except one.

eliott hasn’t seen this particular guy before because, even though he doesn’t know why, he’s sure he would have remembered the face. 

the guy has chocolate brown hair that glistens slightly in the sliver of sun that cracks through the window he is sat by. but his eyes damn, his ocean blue eyes, have eliott transfixed.

the guy continues to look over at him but then what he does next makes him frown slightly.

he rolls his eyes and shakes his head at eliott and breaks their eye contact, and turns his attention to chloé shoe is sat next to him to say something. 

he reaches his table soo enough and puts down his tray and the usual sound of chatter begins to grow as people turn back to their meals.

“who’s that?” he asks manon, who is engrossed in her conversation with alex, clearly laughing t something on his phone.

“hi to you too elio.” she says rolling her eyes.

“why is everyone doing that to me today? i did nothing”

“you probably did something. you are a very annoying human.”

eliott says nothing but flips her off which she swiftly returns.

“anyway, who’s who?” she asks looking over to where eliott had previously pointed. 

“the guy sat next to chloé.” 

“that’s arthur, you know arthur.”

“not him, idiot. the guy on the other side.”

manon cranes her neck to look over at the table eliott is referring to and get a hit on the shoulder from him in return.

“why don’t you try to be even more obvious, take a flash picture if you want.”

“i swear to god i will kill you one of these days.” manon replies hitting him back. “i don’t know who that is.”

“don’t you know everyone?”

“clearly not.” alex says chiming into the conversation, getting a dirty look from manon. 

“em mentioned there was a new guy joining their group that chloé showed around earlier this week. maybe that’s him. he’s cute.” she says looking over to their table again.

“can you ask her to confirm? he just gave me the dirtiest look.”

“maybe you fucked and chucked him.” charles says giggling like a school boy.

“how many times munier, i don’t swing that way, ugh.” eliott says grimacing.

“what was that “ugh” for? need i remind you that i’m a literal lesbian?”

“it’s fine for you but like guys doing th-” charles starts

“complete that sentence charles. i dare you.” manon says threateningly, giving him a glare.

if the school was scared of eliott then all the boys in the group were scared of manon. 

she had a sweet exterior but once pushed or triggered, she could be the most dangerous woman alive.

“i didn't mean it like that.” charles replies, trying to save himself.

“then, just how did you mean it?” she turns her head to the left slightly. a fake smile is plastered upon her face and sofiane, alex and eliott all decide that now’s a time to remain quiet. “please enlighten me, i would love to know.” she says raising her eyebrow.

“i-i-”

“don’t answer that. you guys are dickheads so if you’ll excuse me, i think i'm going to eat lunch with my girlfriend today.” 

she picks up her bags and sandwich and walks away from the table. 

“why am i a dickhead? i said nothing.” sofiane says exasperatedly. 

alex throws some crisps at him but eliott’s attention is on manon.

she stops when she reaches chloé’s table but discovers there is no more room for a chair.

emma smiles at manon, surprised she decided to join them and kisses her, moving slightly so manon can take a seat on her lap.


	7. art and tension

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am: so sorry for such a long time since and update please forgive and join me in wanting to fight lucas.

the louvre is the world’s largest art museum and can be found in france’s capital city of paris, just over two miles from the eiffel tower.

it is home to the renowned mona lisa, painted by the well known italian artist leonardo da vinci in the early sixteenth century before his death in 1519.

vincent van gogh unlike da vinci only gained real fame after his death in 1890. 

he lived a tempestuous life, riddled with mental illness and poverty and it culminated in his death at his own hands at the age of 37.

he completed most of his works in the latter two years of his life: creations which have gone on to sell for millions of pounds.

lucas wants to live a life like da vinci.

currently, he feels like a van gogh. 

\---

two years ago if you asked lucas what he wanted to do with his life, he would have probably said maybe something involving art but most definitely and hopefully a career in film.

he has always thought he had it within himself to be a writer someday and multiple times, he had envisioned himself growing up to study english and film at university whilst writing scripts in his spare time.

he would often pen mini screenplays and then perform them for his mum when he was younger and she would laugh and enjoy it, full of pride and glad that her son had found a passion which brightened up his face.

that light has since dimmed.

there’s a glimmer of hope left, a small spark in a bulb, that one day that he would be able to do it. 

whilst his dad has managed to convince him that writing isn't a viable income source and is too unpredictable to rely on, at some point in his life, lucas desperately dreams to write a film that wins an oscar.

it’s not because of the fame and adulation that comes from being an academy award winning writer. 

lucas just wants to write a film that he wishes he got to see when he was younger and confused.

one which would tell a past him that everything will be okay, because even current him doesn't believe it. 

it’s because all of this that lucas sits in his english class, a well deserved break from the mind-numbing science that although he hates, he is actually pretty good at.

he is sitting at his desk alone and it is now that he wishes this was one of the classes he took with chloé. 

chloé had apparently had english with mcleod last year and told lucas that she was eccentric and didn't really stick to the a level curriculum and as he listens to her speak, he understands what she meant. 

miss mcleod smiles at him as she takes the class through a refresher of what they had been doing in the previous few lessons. lucas knows that his is all for his benefit but miss mcleod does not make it obvious, clearly not wanting to single out her new student.

“...so we are continuing our exploration of diversity in screenplays. today and for the next week we will be focusing on five different films and then you will be required to complete a short project on your analysis of one of the five which will be selected for you with your partner.” she finishes her sentence and anticipates the groan which comes from the class.

there are looks at respective partners as people either dread who they decided to sit beside or consider it to be their best choice of the day.

despite his anxiety of being the lonely new kid in the class, lucas dares to ask a question.

“sorry miss, but i don’t have a partner. can i join a group as a three?” he says when miss mcleod acknowledges his hand in the air.

“no need, you do have a partner, he just hasn't decided to join us here today ye-”

and as if by clockwork the door opens and in steps the same boy from the sixth form centre just an hour ago. 

yet again lucas rolls his eyes.

“mr demaury, thank you ever so much for deciding to grace us with you presence.” miss mcleod says with a sigh, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “take a seat beside lucas, i am explaining your assignment.”

eliott obliges and walks over to lucas, sending him a small smile which lucas ignores, turning his attention back to his teacher.

she continues speaking about the details of the project for a few minutes and then leaves the room, saying she needed to double check due in dates with the teacher next door. 

lucas looks down at the copy of 1984 he had been reading for fun back home but then eliott taps him on the shoulder and just like that, lucas is distracted.

“i’m eliott.”

“so i’ve heard.” lucas answers snakrily, wanting this already unnecessary conversation to be over.

“have we met before?” 

“before right now? no.”

“we haven’t?”

“that is what i meant when i said no.” lucas says the last word slowly as if eliott a five year old.

“so why are you acting like a dick?”

“a dick?” lucas says in astonishment. 

“say that even louder, i dare you.”

“sorry.” lucas feign sarcasm with a fake apologetic frown that reaches his eyebrows which he furrows. “i forgot that when people call me a dick, i’m supposed to say thank you.”

“or maybe you could just not be a dick.”

“i really don’t want to engage in this conversation any further.”

“and now you sound like those white american women who have been caught being racist and are trying to act all innocent.”

“i SAID, i don’t want to engage in this conversation any further.”

“alright karen. wow. you really took one look at me and came up with your own wrong opinion of me.”

“because you are a literal walking cliche. from your smug smile to your brown jacket and black skinny jeans that scream im a dickhead.”

“my jacket and jeans actually don’t scream at all. if clothing is starting to scream at you, you might want to get some help. that doesn’t seem normal.”

“i should have stayed in yorkshire.” lucas puts his head in his hands and sighs, deciding now would be a great time for miss mcleod to come back.

“yes, you should have.” eliott mutters under his breath but lucas hears it and shoots him a glare.

a tension filled silence falls between them and lucas would honestly rather be anywhere else.

it is eliott who again speaks first.

“what did you mean by cliche?”

“you don't see it?” lucas quips, genuinely confused.

“no lucas, i dont. please enlighten me.”

lucas turns fully in his seat and looks at eliott with a wry smile on his face, properly assessing him again before deciding to speak.

“when i look at you, i can see pretty much every single teen fiction written on wattpad from 2012-2016. you fit the description of the school bad boy who was always headcannonned as that one model with the name starting with f. you’re popular and pretty by typical definitions of beauty and so most people fall at your feet and would love to even be acknowledged by you. you have never had a girlfriend because who has time for that right?”

lucas stops to take a breath and eliott assumes that he's done with the attack he has launched on his character and was genuinely asking a question but before he can defend himself, lucas starts again.

”you and i both know you’re not a virgin but there’s that one girl waiting for you somewhere who will totally change your opinion on love and stop you having simple meaningless sex and everyone will forgive all your atrocities because the only reason why he was such a dick was because he hadn’t found THE ONE yet but falling in love changes him.” 

eliott just sits there and takes it all in. 

he had thought about stopping lucas and with every sentence he spoke, eliott became more and more angrier. 

not just because what lucas had said actually hurt him. and it definitely did.

but more because, for the most part, lucas was right.

the main thing he got wrong was the fact that eliott strongly believes there is no one out there for him, which is why he succumbed to the fuckboy status he has been attached to. 

but as he sits there and digests the conclusion lucas had reached on eliott’s personality, he dwells on the fact that he has allowed himself to believe the love just, isn’t for him.

“and you decided that was me when i walked into the sixth form centre?”

“pretty much.”

“i think you should take out that stick that’s firmly wedged up your arse.”

“and it seems that the truth hurts.” lucas turns back to face the front of the class when he sees miss mcleod walk back in.

“you dont know me lucas.”

“and i don’t think i want to know you.”

lucas knows he has pushed a button and gone too far but sometimes his mouth opens before his brain has had the chance to catch up.

in that moment, an apology for insulting eliott would have been best because as the taller boy had said himself, lucas doesn’t actually know him and has most probably judged him prematurely.

“trust me when i say that the feeling is 100% mutual, lucas. »

lucas is about to speak again but miss mcleod starts before he can. 

“so the five films we will be looking at are hidden figures, the danish girl, moonlight, call me by your name and parasite.” 

lucas had seen all five and loved them all, some more than others. he had never been this interested in an english class and perked up at the opportunity of carrying out a study of a film he loved. 

but then he turns his head to the left and remembers he would be doing this project with eliott and sighs, knowing that he is in for a wild, tension filled ride.


	8. humrel and bad decisions.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> last chapter i had you hating lucas, this chapter you're hating eliott, oh how the turntables.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have a new social media au out on twitter (twitter.com/lallemvnt)  
> it's pinned to my profile and based on love, simon so give that a look at if you want 
> 
> also thanks so much for over 1,000 hits, wasnt expecting that at all and i hope you're enjoying the story so far!! x
> 
> x

psychology is often split up unto different areas depending on the topic of study.

some psychological analysts focus on human relationships.

there exists a branch of psychology which seeks to explore the ways in which humans interact with each other and develop relationships.

vasts amounts of studies have been undertaken to try to explain why people get into relationships, how people communicate within then and also why they break down and end. 

another branch of human relationships seeks to explain the concept of bystanderism.

this occurs when individuals - in a position to provide aid - see another person, most likely a stranger, in danger and rather intervene to help mitigate the threat, they simply stop and stare.

eliott often feels like a bystander, looking at his own life.

\----  
when eliott finally gets out of english, he breathes a sigh of relief at not having to spend any more time with lucas; forgetting, for now, the fact that he is required to be in his company during project time. 

he makes his way through the school and takes his normal route to his car where he waits for his friends to join. 

manon is yet to forgive the boys for their comments on sexuality and so it doesn’t surprise eliott when she walks past his car, with emma’s hand in hers, pretending that eliott doesnt exist. 

he sighs knowing they have all seriously messed up, well aware that it is going to take a ridiculous amount of grovelling for her to forgive them. 

the trio in question soon make their way to join eliott; sofiane shouts something which eliott guesses is shotgun as it triggers charles to start running towards the car whilst alex watches the duo with annoyance.

charles reaches the car first but eliott has decided to lock the door simply to piss him off and by the time he presses unlock again, sofiane has managed to him push away from the door and slip into the front seat.

he looks at charles’ angry face from the inside of the car and sticks out his tongue like a child. charles returns the favour by giving him the middle finger and take the seat behind them.

alex is still shaking his head at his two friends when he finally join the trio in the car and with that, eliott starts the engine and begins driving them back to his house. 

“has manon said anything to you guys?” charles says scrolling through his phone.

“no, she gave me the dirtiest look in the hallway today and just a few minutes ago when she walked past the car.” eliott replies.

“she hasn’t replied to my texts even though i literally didn’t say a thing.” sofiane adds, a hint of anger in his voice.

“neither did i. yet again, you whites messed up.” alex says looking at charles and eliott

“stop making everything about race for fuck sake.” charles says defending him and eliott.

“im sorry, who said the offensive thing? you and eliott and who are the only whites here? you and eliott. coincidence? i think not.”

“you’re so fucking annoying.”

“the truth hurts doesn’t it, love?”

“i’m not your love.” 

“ooo. did i push a button the-”

“who’s lucas and why is he texting you?” sofiane had decided to ignore the argument going on in the back of the car but his attention is grabbed by notifications popping up on eliott’s phone.

eliott rolls his hand as he looks down at his phone which is propped up in the cup holder located in the middle of him and sofiane.

“the new kid. he’s my new english partner. and he’s a dickhead.”

“the one from the sixth form centre?” charles asks chiming into the conversation. 

“unfortunately.” 

“what happened?”

“he just took one look at me and made a conclusion on who i was. without even trying to get to know me.”

“why do you care? it’s not like you were going to be friends with him anyway.” alex asks.

“i dont care. he just didn’t need to be a dick.”

“why not be a dick back. in fact i have a better idea.”

“no charles no. we do not need another one of your schemes.” sofiane says sighing. 

“not a scheme. a bet. make him your friend.”

“how is that a bet?” eliott asks, entertaining whatever plan charles is concocting.

“you make him your friend. and then dump him. teach him a lesson.”

“i’m sorry and correct me if i’m wrong. but isnt that just proving lucas right?? the whole being a dick thing?” alex asks genuinely confused by what point charles is trying to make. 

“i for one think you’re right alex.” sofiane says turning to look at his friend. 

“thanks sofi, the only person i can trust.” alex replies, eliciting a wink from sofiane.

“well you would be teaching him a lesson regardless.”

“i might just take you up on that, depending on the terms.” eliot says causing both alex and sofiane to groan.

“fine, i bet that you cant get lucas to be your friend by the end of next month.”

“and if i do?”

“i’ll do your bio coursework.”

“and if i don’t?”

“your car is mine for a week.”

eliott considers it, remembering that charles is at the top of his class in biology and a week without his car wouldn’t hurt him too much since he lives relatively close to the bus stop.

he also thinks about the fact that he finds it easy to charm the girls who show him interest and how he would be able to do the same to lucas. 

this and the anger he felt which lucas finished his speech berating him today is the reason why he says:

“deal.”

charles laughs a little and leans forward to shake eliott’s hand whilst they are stopped at a traffic light. 

“let the record show that alex and i were very much against this. so when it goes wrong we can’t be blamed.”

he doesn’t know it now but in the coming weeks, eliott will regret the last five minutes of conversation ever taking place.


	9. sloa and smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah....
> 
> i am sorry that it's been a week since my last update. im going to try and get another out this week :)

society and our culture shapes the way we think, speak and interact with the world.

psychologists describe it using the phrase socio-cultural levels of analysis.

we see the world and we see people and without even thinking about it, the way we have been brought up and society around us directly impacts the choices we make. 

lucas wonders if him being continuously frustrated by the fact that he cant bring himself to come out is the reason why he is angry all the time.

he also wonders if there will come a time that he can trust a guy enough to finally open up.

\-----

it’s been a week since eliott and the boys made the bet and both lucas and eliott are back in english again. 

they had shared a couple of english classes since their first conversation but nothing much would happen between them: lucas would already be sat at their shared table by the time eliott arrived and the shorter boy would spend the whole lesson pretending that eliott didn’t exist. 

the silence between them is always deafening as they both came to the conclusion alone that they would rather to get on with their own work than do what they should be doing: working on their project together.

the imminent due date in a few weeks is at the back of lucas’ mind and whilst he would rather pull out all the hair atop his head than engage in a conversation with eliott right now, he also doesn’t want to fail his very first project at his new school. 

school work is at the forefront of eliott’s thinking. the main thing on his mind is how he doesn’t want to lose the use of his car for a week, but also how it is looking as if it will become charles’ if he doesn’t find a way to get lucas to talk to him sometime soon.

lucas has spoken to chloé for what felt like hours about the topic of eliott in the past week and all her attempts to get lucas to see sense have been futile.

despite this, lucas surprises himself and eliott when he is the first speak.

“are we ever going to meet to work on this project or are you expecting me to finish it by myself?” his voice is laced with a tinge of spite even though he had tried to hide how he feels towards eliott a little better. 

“you’ve already started it? without me?” eliott asks, puzzled.

“no, i started it with you (!)” the spite has merged into sarcasm and lucas’ six word sentence earns him and eye roll from eliott.

“you know, you don’t have to be a dick everytime you speak.”

“funny coming from you.”

“i have done nothing. not one thing to you, merely existed and somehow i have pissed you off. just tell me what i did wrong and i will try to apologise.”

lucas stops and thinks for a moment.

why do i hate him?

“i dont know, that why i asked you my question.”

“i said that outloud?”

eliott nods.

“oh sorry. i didnt mean to.”

eliott smiles and sighs, shaking his head. 

“it’s fine. it doesn’t matter why. but if i hurt you in some way then i’m sorry.”

it’s lucas’ turn to shake his head now and he too smiles.

“i do this thing where i push people away sometimes. i don’t know why but it’s easier to have no one rather than having to deal with pain that comes with people leaving. aaaaaaand i don’t know why i just told you that. now i sound like an actual psycho. im sorry, im going to jump out of a window now.”

“luc- no.” eliott grabs hold of lucas’ arm as he prepares to stand up and he laughs a little, still taken aback by what lucas had just said. “it’s okay, i understand. please dont jump, i need a partner for this project.”

lucas scoffs, slightly amused.

“so my serious injury or death from the fall isn’t your main concern? you just want a english partner.”

“i mean it would be quite an inconvenience. and it would be so much worse since you’re the new kid. literally no one would shut up about it.”

“never mind i take back my apology, i still hate you.” lucas says, trying to conceal a smile and turns his head back to face the front of the class.

eliott laughs loudly and for the first time since the lesson began, miss mcleod turns her attention to the duo sat at the back of the class. it makes lucas crack a smile too despite him desperately not wanting to and his cheeks burn red from the embarrassment of people turning around to look back at him and eliott.

he elbows the giggling boy beside him with just akes eliott laugh louder and lucas is forced to use his hands to cover his mouth until he finally calms down. 

when eliott finally calms down, lucas relaxes in his chair again and breaths out a sigh of relief. he takes a look over at eliott and a second later he is bursting out in quiet laughter.

“i can’t… look at you… or i’m just going to laugh.” lucas says smiling widely.

“then don’t.” eliott is about to laugh again. “just pay attention to your work. it’s what you should be doing.”

“this is all your fault.”

“i’m sorry, who asked the first question?” eliott asks raising his eyebrows. 

“oh.”

“yep. exactly.”

“you never answered my question, arsehole. instead, you just made a joke about me jumping out of the window.” lucas says turning back to face eliott, suddenly remembering why this conversation began in the first instance. 

“how is friday?”

“friday is perfect.”

“brilliant.”

lucas nods, turning back to face the front of the room and eliott smiles. for the first time since they began sitting next to each other, a comfortable, tension-free silence falls between them.

eliott sits back in his chair, happy he has sorted things out with lucas, but as his words about trust come back to eliott’s memory, he starts to regret ever agreeing to the bet.


	10. geography and

millions of years ago, before humans inhabited the earth, the world was made up of supercontinent named pangea.

the landmass stretched for thousands of miles across the globe and consisted of many countries still in existence in the world today.

it was a shift in the earth's tectonic plates that caused pangea and it was the same shift that caused it to break up.

first into two and then further and further until it reached the point that we are at now.

eliott wanders what it was in him that shifted that means he feels numb about most things.

there's a part of him that hopes the little pieces of him will soon find their way back together.

\----

it's been twenty minutes since eliott arrived at lucas' house and the project work is actually going better than both first thought. 

they're still in the planning stages of their project but things seems to be funning along smoothly.

they're alone as lucas' mum is yet to return from work but a peaceful silence rests between them. lucas' music plays in the background, currently working its way through his study playlist. 

eliott scrolls through a list of films, sat on lucas carpeted floor and lucas sits above him doing the same thing. they had both decided they would look through the five options privately and then come to a conclusion of what they would focus on together. lucas already has two in the forefront of his mind and so his research of the films had turned into scrolling through twitter until eliott tells him he's ready.

he's interested in which eliott is doing and so looks down from his position on the bed, and shakes his head when he sees that he is currently scrolling through wikipedia. 

"eliott?" lucas asks sitting back in his position and pretending not to notice the way in which he jumps.

"yeah."

"how many of the films have you watched?"

"a-all of them."

"ah really? which one is your favourite?" lucas asks closing his laptop and scooting closer to eliott, putting his head in his hands. "which one is your favourite?"

"moonlight."

"i love that one, armie hammer was brilliant in that one."

"yeah, it was some of his finest work." lucas starts laughing at eliott who looks upon him with a confused expression clouding his face. 

"you're such an idiot." lucas says, sitting back on his bed still laughing at eliott.

"are you back to insulting me that quickly? i thought we were friends now." eliott replies, looking up at, slightly offended.

"oh we are. we definitely are. i just don't think you have watched any of these movies."

"fuck, how did you know?" eliott asks, smiling at his own stupidity.

"oh just the fact that armie hammer definitely didn't star in that film. he was in call me by your name though."

"is that the thomas film?" eliott asks, confusing lucas. it takes him a few second to understand what he means and then he replies.

"i feel like you meant timothée but yes, armie hammer was in that film."

"sorry. he's cute i guess."

lucas perks up at the mention of eliott referring to male human being as attractive, both surprised that he said it so comfortably and that it came someone like him.

"did you just refer to timothée chalamet as cute?" 

"why do you think he's ugly?" eliott leans against the bed and looks up at lucas."because you'd be very wrong." 

"n-no i thought you were straight."

"i am. but i know a good looking man when i see one. same with harry styles, jake gyllenhaal and alex pettyfer."

lucas can't believe what he's hearing. mostly because it the first time he's sat with another guy and spoke about attractive boys but also because its the first time he could actually talk about boys and still keep his veil of straightness.

"what about you?" eliott asks, keeping the gaze he has upon him.

"what about me?" 

"do you have any man crushes?" 

"e-erm..." lucas begins thinking and trails off.

"you don't have to answer if you don't want to, we can just focus on the pro-"

"LIAM HEMSWORTH." lucas blurts it out way louder than he expected and it takes eliott aback.

"lucas lallemant: a fan of lo-fi beats and liam hemsworth. noted." eliott says smirking at him. he winks and then turns back to face his screen. 

lucas, however, is struggling to breathe and can't believe he just blurted that out so loudly and that eliott reacted so calmly.

"so what film do you want to do?" 

"w-well since you like the look of timothée, maybe we should pick that film?" 

"sure. i guess it can't hurt to spend over an hour looking at his face." eliott says laughing a little. 

"maybe we should start with actually watching it, so you know what's going on."

"that's probably a good idea, is it on netflix?"

"not anymore, but i think i have it on dvd. we can head downstairs."

\----

two and a half hours and a bag of popcorn later, lucas and an emotionally drained eliott are sat on lucas' living room sofa as the credits roll. they have managed to wrap themselves up in a set of blankets. eliott's head is turned away from lucas as he tries to dry his eyes before he sees him.

"don't try it, i saw you crying during elio's dad's speech, there's no point in hiding." he says smiling a little at his teary friend. 

"why did he have to say that about ripping out so much of our hearts? why did oliver leave? why did you make me watch it? why? why? why?" eliott exclaims, turning to face lucas and exposing the corner of the now damp blanket he had been using to wipe his eyes.

"yeah. this film does that to you." lucas says remembering the first time he watched it.

"fuck sakes, i need a sequel. i want to see a happy elio." 

"i think we ALL want to see a happy elio."

"you did not just reference victoria justice."

"denying that will be a lie."

"jesus christ." eliott hides a smile and leans forward to grab some popcorn. "anyway, we are definitely doing this film."

"glad you agree."


End file.
